AHL notebook: 10 skater prospects to watch in Eastern Conference 

NHL first-round draft picks as well as later-round selections make up some of the top talent in the Eastern Conference of the American Hockey League this season.

Here is a look at 10 skater prospects to watch from the east in the NHL’s top developmental league (in alphabetical order). 

We will look at the Western Conference on Nov. 9.

Corson Ceulemans, Cleveland (Columbus Blue Jackets)

Cleveland helped prepare rookie defenseman David Jiricek last season for his eventual promotion to Columbus.

The Blue Jackets have another first-round pick in Ceulemans, a 20-year-old defenseman they took in the first round (No. 25) in the 2021 NHL Draft. After two seasons at the University of Wisconsin, he turned pro late last season. After being assigned to Cleveland, he played 13 games and had two points (one goal, one assist) and is back with Cleveland to start this season. He does not have a point in his first four games.

Sean Farrell, Laval (Montreal Canadiens)

Farrell, who turns 22 on Nov. 2, is making his AHL debut with Laval after two NCAA seasons at Harvard and scoring one goal in six games for Montreal last season.

Farrell went to the Canadiens in the fourth round (No. 124) of the 2020 NHL Draft. His 53 points (20 goals, 33 assists) in 34 games ranked fourth in the NCAA and helped to make him a Hobey Baker Award finalist last season. He has four points (one goal, three assists) through five AHL games.

Jiri Kulich, Rochester (Buffalo Sabres)

The 19-year-old made a successful move to the North American game last season with Rochester after Buffalo selected him No. 28 in the 2022 NHL Draft.

The forward had 24 goals in 62 games, tied for sixth among rookies, and he finished with 46 points. Buffalo also chose to have Kulich represent Czechia at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship. He won a spot on the tournament all-star team with nine points (seven goals, two assists) in seven games to help lead Czechia to a silver medal. He has eight points (five goals, three assists) in five AHL games this season.

Fabian Lysell, Providence (Boston Bruins)

The 20-year-old was selected No. 21 in the 2021 NHL Draft by the Bruins and is back for his second AHL season.

In his rookie AHL season with Providence, the forward had 37 points (14 goals, 23 assists) in 54 games. He has two points (one goal, one assist) through five games.

Ivan Miroshnichenko, Hershey (Washington Capitals)

The 19-year-old forward had four points (three goals, one assist) last season in 23 games with Avangard Omsk of the Kontinental Hockey League. He was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma late in the 2021-22 season but has since returned to health.

He has three points (two goals, one assist) through six games with Hershey. Washington selected him No. 20 in the 2022 draft.

Simon Nemec, Utica (New Jersey Devils)

New Jersey opted to give the 19-year-old, the second pick in the 2022 draft, a chance to gain more seasoning with Utica.

Nemec’s 12 goals in 65 games tied him for fourth among AHL defensemen last season (and tied for first among rookies at the position); he also had 22 assists to finish with 34 points, fifth among rookie defensemen. He was the captain of Slovakia at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, where he had five points (one goal, four assists) in five games. He did not have a point in his one game with Utica so far this season.

Nicholas Robertson, Toronto (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Injuries limited the 22-year-old forward to a combined 55 games between the NHL and AHL the past two seasons.

Roberstson is off to a hot start in the AHL, however, with six points (three goals, three assists) through five games and has taken a top role. Toronto selected him in the second round (No. 53) of the 2019 NHL Draft.

Isak Rosen, Rochester (Buffalo Sabres)

Like Kulich, Rosen has benefited from a strong support system with Rochester.

Buffalo selected the forward with the No. 14 pick in the 2021 draft, and he had 37 points (14 goals, 23 assists) in 66 games; he then had eight points (four goals, four assists) in 14 playoff games. Through five games, the 20-year-old has eight points (three goals, five assists).

Joshua Roy, Laval (Montreal Canadiens)

The 20-year-old rookie forward has taken the AHL scoring lead with 11 points (five goals, six assists) in five games.

He had a hat trick and two assists in an 8-4 win against Rochester on Oct. 20 and then had two more assists the following night at Belleville (Ottawa Senators).

Like Farrell, Roy was a later-round pick, the Canadiens selecting him in the fifth round (No. 150) in 2021. He finished his career in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League last season with 99 points (46 goals, 53 assists) in 55 games for Sherbrooke. Named to the QMJHL’s First All-Star Team for a second consecutive season, he also won his second gold medal with Canada at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Mackie Samoskevich, Charlotte (Florida Panthers)

The 20-year-old played two games with the Panthers before being assigned to Charlotte on Oct. 17.

Florida chose him No. 24 in 2021 and he elected to turn pro after two standout seasons at the University of Michigan. The forward had 43 points (20 goals, 23 assists) in 39 games last season. He has an assist through two games with Charlotte.